Monday, June 2, 2014

Re-Release: By the Light of the Moon (Lakeside #1) Laila Blake

By the Light of the Moon

(Lakeside #1)

Laila Blake

Pub April 8th 2013

Mature Content

Gr’s Summary
Withdrawn and with a reputation for her strange, eccentric ways, young Lady Moira Rochmond is old to be unwed. Rumors say, she has been seen barefoot in the orchard, is awake all night in moon-struck rambles and sleeps all day. Some will even claim her ghostly pallor and aloof manner are signs of illness, of a curse or insanity.

The hopes of the peaceful succession to her father’s fief lie in an advantageous marriage. Moira, however, has a hard time attracting suitors. When one does show interest, her family pushes for a decision.

Almost resigned to the fact that she has no choice but to play the part she has been given in life, Moira is faced with Owain. A member of the mysterious Blaidyn creatures and a new guard in her father’s castle, specifically tasked to keep her safe. He is different from other people she knows and when one night under the full moon, she makes the acquaintance of the wolf who shares Owain’s soul, she starts to trust him and seek his presence. As he becomes one of the few individuals who doesn’t make her want to hide and retreat, she wants to learn more about him and they grow closer until they share a kiss one night under the moon.

Faced with feelings and desires that overthrow everything she thought she knew about herself, Moira knows non-the-less that they have to be kept utterly secret. However much they try, however, they continue to be drawn to each other until one night, Owain discovers something about Moira that shakes him to core.

The Way I See It

By The Light of The Moon was a whirlwind, and I fell in love. I understood the many characters, and their connections. I really enjoyed the way Ms. Blake spun the lore that is contained in this lovely novel! Everything started clicking, and I could not put the book down.

B-eautiful, and young Moira is lonely and considered strange.

Y-earning to find Peace and Solace, she desires to know who she really is.

T-reacherous beings from far away plot and plan ways to change the things that are.

H-auntingly enigmatic, a queen sends an emissary to do her biding.

E-ntrapped, Devali has no choice, but to concede to Maeve's demands.

L-ove born innocently out of a full moon, will never recede.

I-ndependent and alone, Owain has never met someone who has moved him the way Moira has.

G-uarded, were there hearts. It took one, and other to tear those walls down.

H-opeless, a love that will never be understood, by the noble and peasants alike.

T-ruths that lead to an egregious rejection, shattering an innocent heart.

O-ffspring though flawed, hold no fault, and should never be punished for just being.

F-ire burning, desire blooming, and a final happiness proves where Moira comes from.

T-rust broken, but mended again will remain strong for these two.

H-eartache for those Maeve has lost, and has had to sacrifice.

E-difice looming, Moira turns her back and walks away from everything she has known.

M-other, always gone, always loving, always watching.

O-utpouring of magic, making wrongs right and dreams coming to fruition.

O-blation, a sister will do what it takes to ensure the happiness of her other.

N-ecessities is all they have. It's all they need.

The looming problem in the story is resolved. YAY!! I like it when that happens! There are some things left open, so I do hope Ms. Blake continues to write about Owain and Moira, and this collection of complex characters If you like lore and love, this book is for you, and I highly recommend it! I know I’ll be STALKING "looking out" for the next book in this series.

My Fav’s

Moira

Lonely and eccentric, at the core aren’t we all that way, even a little bit? Typically, I love the tough as nails chick! Well...Moira is a lady, she is feeble, and tiny, sullen even. I looked passed that, and what I saw was a beautiful girl looking for her way in a life that was predesigned for her. She fought the constraints of the norm facing ridicule and not wavering. Isn’t that the toughest form of bravery? Facing ridicule, and accusations while remaining true to the heart? I admire her for that, knowing what I know about her, I CANNOT WAIT to see where her character goes! I’m kinda doing a happy dance.

Owain

Blaydin, even the name is HAWT!! MM MM MM! Not a knight in shinning armor, but a protector to the core! Once he gives his heart to Moira, he is willing to do anything for her. We don’t know much about him, thus far, and I fell in love with him for all the things he did for Moira. He sees her as beautiful, when most see her as strange. He sees her as strong and wild, while most see her as weak and withdrawn. For all those reasons, I love Owain, and I certainly can’t wait to get to know him better. ;)

My Rating

4.0 Favored Pet, Glowing Heart, Ancient War, Full Moon, Dead Horse, Lost Child, Fertility Restored, Promises Made, New Adventure Filled Stars!! For those of you who are fans of magic, love, and lore, this paranormal is for you!! Go out and get it. *sing song* Get it. Get it! ;)

Laila Blake (lailablake.com) is an author, linguist and translator. She writes character-driven love stories, co-hosts the podcast Lilt and blogs about writing, feminism and society. Her work has been featured in numerous anthologies. Keeping a balance between her different interests, Laila Blake’s body of work encompasses literary erotica, romance, and various fields in speculative fiction (dystopian/post-apocalypse, fantasy, paranormal romance and urban fantasy) and she adores finding ways to mix and match. A self-proclaimed nerd, she lives in Cologne/Germany with her cat Nookie, harbors a deep fondness for obscure folk singers and plays the guitar. She loves photography, science documentaries and classic literature, as well as Doctor Who, Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory. You can find her across the web. To stay up to date with her most recent publications, please consider signing up for her spam-free newsletter.